Influencer Culture Shaping the Future of Music Festivals
- theaspeic
- 8 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Sophia Arredondo | April 21, 2025
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Coachella has evolved from a desert music celebration into a curated influencer playground where photo ops, brand deals and fashion often outshine the music itself.
Coachella is an annual music festival held in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley. It blends music, art, fashion and celebrity culture into one of the most talked- about events of the year.
In 1999, Coachella launched as a two-day alternative music festival. After a hiatus in 2000, the event returned in 2001. Since then, it has grown into an annual sensation, now spanning over two consecutive, three-day weekends. What started with indie and alternative acts, eventually became home to more mainstream performers, drawing large crowds by the 2010s.
As more celebrities and influencers began to attend, public interest grew. Festival fashion and “the experience” became the main focus on social media.
Social media has transformed the festival experience into more of a marketing strategy for brands and influencers.
Brands sponsor influencers and fly them out to Coachella with the expectation of content creation in return. These influencers are given free merchandise, luxury hotels or homes to stay in, and exclusive access to brand events– all while promoting a carefully curated version of the Coachella experience online.
This social media driven lens doesn’t just shape public perception, but changes who the festival is for.
Throughout my own social media, there had never been much insight into the point of view from an average festival attendee. While influencer content took up most of my feed, I came across more posts from everyday people. People camping in their cars or tents documented the weekend in unfiltered ways. It lets non-attendees glimpse into a different Coachella experience– removed from the influencer one. For the amount of money some people spend to attend, the poor sleeping conditions and limited hygiene options don’t seem worth it to me. The gap between influencer luxury and average attendee reality is becoming increasingly visible through the use of social media.
One brand that has thrived off this shift is Revolve, a Los Angeles–based women’s clothing company. Since 2017, Revolve has hosted its own invite-only festival during Coachella weekend. It’s not affiliated with Coachella itself, but includes musical performances, carnival-like attractions and a guest list full of influencers and celebrities. It’s become a festival within a festival, centered around fashion and content.
Festival culture itself has transformed into a fashion lineup, with millennials and Gen Z alike viewing Coachella as a seasonal aesthetic moment. Every spring, social media feeds fill with festival looks, sponsored brand deals, and curated experiences. The aesthetics of the event have taken over the artists.
While I did see content about musical performances this year, especially with big headliners like Lady Gaga and Charli XCX, they still felt overshadowed by influencers themselves.
As a new festival-goer mindset spreads throughout the nation, we are visibly shown through social media platforms what younger generations are prioritizing: social moments, collabs, and content creation. There is a divide between these influencers and normal attendees and it’s becoming more accessible for anyone who owns TikTok, Instagram or YouTube to see.
Are people’s priorities shifting from going to an event like Coachella to enjoy music to creating aesthetic outfits and promoting an aesthetic lifestyle on social media?
Festivals aren’t going away anytime soon. The rise of influencer culture makes them more popular. People are fascinated by the artists and also the fashion, drama, and discourse surrounding attendees.
The way we consume and experience festivals is shifting and festivals like Coachella have now become stages not just for music, but for influence, image and identity.